God's Time
- Anna-Lisa Hunter
- Oct 7
- 2 min read
I just visited Hawai’I Volcanoes National Park. This is a dynamic park with an active volcano and it was spewing fumes and steam while I was there. While the active caldera gets most of the attention these days, there are many places to see past activity, such as the cinder and rock pile left from an eruption in 1959.
In the photo, you can see the pile of rock that came from the fountain of lava during that eruption. And you can see the beginnings of plant life finding a way to grow. It’s been 66 years since the eruption, and there isn’t much growing, but life is starting to find a foothold. This photo isn't the Hawai'i most of us are used to looking at. Where are the lush plants and glowing rainbows? We love to see the life that comes from the minerals of volcanic activity, but we aren't so sure about having the patience for the process.
As I looked at this rock pile that is so unstable that signs told us not to try to climb or risk a deathly rockslide, I considered how God’s time is not our time.
How many of us are wanting to see change in our world, and we expect it to happen fast? God has a different sense of time than we do, and God has designed creation to move much more slowly than our minds. This rock will someday be fine soil that grows abundant plant life and sustains lots of birds and animals and insects. But time will move slowly as this rock is broken down by water and wind and plant roots. None of us will see the transformation of this pile, but we currently benefit from other soil created by eruptions thousands and even millions of years ago.
What change are we looking for in our lives today? Are we watching a baby grow and wishing that they would move on to the next stage of development more quickly? Are we resenting the time it takes to change the culture of an organization? I wonder if the real question is: are we willing to patiently grow like these plants, and steadily make progress that is almost impossible to see?
What if the real question is: how long is God waiting on us? Are we changing too slowly for God's plan? Maybe some of the slowness is our lack of action.
Perhaps this pile of rock can inspire us to trust in God's power and grow with Jesus.
Pastor Anna-Lisa Hunter
October 7, 2025
Link to Kïlauea Iki Trail Guide: https://www.nps.gov/havo/planyourvisit/upload/Kilauea-Iki-Trail-Guide-2013.pdf
